Its history can be heard in the whispering of the wind along the walls, where every stone tells a wondrous story of a city that has drawn millions of faithful pilgrims for thousands of years. Such is Jerusalem, the capital of Israel, the only city in the world that has 70 names of love and yearning, the city that in old maps appears at the center of the world and is still adored like a young bride.

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

More of Passion Week

On the Monday of Passion Week, Christ cursed the fig tree and cleansed and taught in the temple.

18 Now in the morning as he returned into the city, he hungered.

19 And when he saw a fig tree ain the way, he came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it, Let nobfruit grow on thee henceforward for ever. And cpresently the fig tree withered away.

20 And when the disciples saw it, they marvelled, saying, How soon is the fig tree withered away!

21 Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have afaith, and bdoubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this cmountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done.

On Tuesday Jesus gave the Olivet Discourse somewhere on the Mount of Olives. We went and sat at the Pater Noster Church and read the discourse.

44 ¶Jesus cried and said, He that abelieveth on me, believeth not on me, but on him that sent me.

45 And he that seeth me seeth him that sent me.

46 I am come a alight into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.

47 And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to ajudge the world, but to save the world.

48 He that arejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that bjudgeth him: the cword that I have spoken, the same shalldjudge him in the last day.

49 For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which asentme, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak.

50 And I know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I aspeak therefore, even as the bFather said unto me, so I cspeak.

our reading spot on the Mount of Olives

On Wednesday, the plot to kill Jesus and the anointing of Jesus occured.

1 After two days was the feast of the passover, and of unleavened bread: and the chief priests and the ascribes sought how they might take him by craft, and put him to bdeath.

2 But they said, Not on the feastday,lest there be an uproar of the people.

3 ¶And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured it on his head.

4 And there were some that had indignation within themselves, and said, Why was this awaste of the ointment made?

5 For it might have been sold for more than three hundred pence, and have been given to the poor. And they murmured against her.

6 And Jesus said, Let her alone; why trouble ye her? she hath wrought a good work on me.

7 For ye have the apoor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but me ye have not always.

8 She hath done what she could: ashe is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying.

9 Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that ashe hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her.

10 ¶And Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went unto the chief priests, to betray him unto them.

11 And when they heard it, they were glad, and promised to give him money. And he sought how he might conveniently betray him.

On Thursday, the Last Supper, Gethsemane, betrayal and arrest, and Jesus before the authorities. We went to the Garden of Gethsemane and read the scriptures that coordinated with this day.

26 ¶And as they were eating, Jesus took abread, band blessed it,and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my cbody.

27 And he took the acup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, bDrink ye all of it;